Durban – A Zimbabwean national operating a heavy-duty truck without valid documentation has been arrested following a devastating multi-vehicle collision at the Mariannhill Toll Plaza on the N3 westbound in KwaZulu-Natal.
Watch video here: N3 Southbound Blocked After Serious Crash Before Marianhill Toll Plaza
The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon when the articulated truck, travelling towards Pietermaritzburg, lost control and ploughed into four other trucks and a Volkswagen Polo that were either stationary or moving slowly in queueing traffic at the toll plaza.
Minutes earlier, a separate crash at the same location involving another truck that suffered brake failure had already caused a pile-up. That earlier collision saw one truck smash into three other trucks, a minibus taxi, and a sport-utility vehicle, leaving twelve people injured.
The second crash, involving the Zimbabwean driver, added to the chaos and further blocked the busy route.
Road Traffic Inspectorate officers who responded to the scene discovered that the arrested driver possessed no valid work permit or professional driving permit required for foreign nationals operating commercial heavy vehicles in South Africa. He was taken into custody on charges related to reckless and negligent driving, as well as contravention of immigration and road traffic legislation.
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma, confirmed the arrest and linked it to the ongoing provincial Operation Nenzani La Ezweni, which targets undocumented foreign drivers and non-compliant freight operators.
“We want the owner of the truck to come forward immediately,” MEC Duma stated. “It is illegal to employ a foreign truck driver without the necessary documentation. Employers who flout the law will face the full might of the law.”
Authorities have appealed to the registered owner of the truck involved in the second collision to present themselves at the Mariannhill police station or contact the Road Traffic Inspectorate without delay.
Traffic on the N3 was severely disrupted for several hours as emergency services, tow operators, and crash investigators cleared the scene. No fatalities were reported in either of the two incidents, though a number of people sustained injuries ranging from minor to moderate.
The back-to-back crashes have renewed calls from law-enforcement agencies for stricter enforcement against undocumented heavy-vehicle drivers and for fleet owners to comply with labour and immigration regulations. Investigations into both collisions are continuing.
